A woman who served a 10-year prison sentence for manslaughter has been elected to the Bangor City Council in Maine. Angela Walker, formerly known as Angela Humphrey, and her brother Benjamin Humphrey pleaded guilty in 2003 to the 2002 death of Canadian tourist Derek Rogers in Old Orchard Beach. The incident occurred after Rogers allegedly used a derogatory term for Native American women, leading to a confrontation in which Rogers was found severely beaten and suffocated with sand. Walker also admitted to perjury and received her sentence.

More than two decades later, Walker secured one of three city council seats in Tuesday’s election, receiving 2,231 votes. She is described as a peer services coordinator for the Bangor Area Recovery Network and is undergoing recovery from addiction. Walker emphasized her personal growth, stating, “That’s my past. I don’t live there anymore and I’m a different person.”

Bangor’s electoral code does not prohibit individuals with criminal records from running for office. Walker ran as an independent candidate against nine others, including Richard Ward, who faced scrutiny over neo-Nazi rhetoric. She will join Susan Faloon and Daniel Carson on the council.